Transmission mechanism.



D. vI. RUGER. y TRANSMISSION MEGHANISM. APPLIoATIoN FILED sim'. 7, 190e.

968,266. Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

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DURL P. RUGER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

vTRANSMISSION MECI-IAN ISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

Application led September 7, 1909. Serial No. 516,453.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DURI. P. RUGER, citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Transmission Mechanism,of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying' drawings, forming a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to power transmission mechanism, and has for itsgeneral object the improvement in the construction of certain gearingportions entering into the mechanism.

rIhe invention, in its preferred embodiment, relates to that class oftransmission mechanism in which two gear elements are brought intodriving` and driven relation by means of frictional engagement that ishad therebetween.

In practicing my invention, I desirably employ two frictional gearelements, one in the form of a rotatable disk which is desirably drivenby a prime-mover and which presents a frictional surface transverse toits axis, the other frictional gear element including in its formation aperipheral ring which is movable with respect to the part within itscircumference, this part desirably having a peripheral surface infrictional engagement with the inner surface of t-he ring, the outersurface of the ring frictionally engaging said frictional surface ofsaid disk. In the preferred embodiment of my invention, I desirablysubdivide the gear element part that is within the circumference of theperipheral ring into two portions, bot-h adapted for driving relationwith the aforesaid peripheral ring and adapted to move with respect toeach other when encountering unequal torque. The structure as thuspreferably made is adapted to the operation of two load-driving devices,one load-driving device being in driving connection with each of thesubdivided portions of the part within the circumference of theperipheral ring.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, I also employ mechanismwhereby the gear element including the peripheral ring is moved withrespect to the aforesaid frictional surface presented by the rotatabledisk, whereby said peripheral ring may be brought toward and from theaxis of said vdisk, to change the ratios of speed of the two gearelements.

Though I' have above outlined the pre'n ferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not wish to be limited to such embodiment.

The embodiment of the invention that has been somewhat specicallydescribed is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which I will nowdescribe.

In the drawing-Figure l shows the adaptation of my power transmissionmechanism to the gearing of'an automobile. Fig. 2 is a sectionalelevation on line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a sectional end View on line3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4L is a sectional end view taken through the outerend of a sleeve constituting the lateral continuation of one of the gearelements. Fig. 5 illustrates a modification of the structure of myinvention.

Like parts are indicated by similar characters of reference throughoutthe different gures.

I will describe my invention as it is associated with the gearing of anautomobile, though I do not wish to be limited to the use of theinvention in connection with automobiles.

In Fig. l is shown the driving-tractionwheels a a of an automobile, thatare mounted upon a common shaft upon which they may rotate with respectto each other. A sprocket-wheel c is in xed relation with each wheel a.A sprocket-.chain d passes about each sprocket-wheel c and also aboutsprocketwheels e and f, which latter sprocket-wheels are driven by meansof the transmission mechanism of my invention. Sprocket-wheel e is ixedwith respect to a quill-shaft g and sprocket-wheel f is fixed withrespect to another quill-shaft It, these quill-shafts being rotatablewith respect to each other and with respect to a supporting shaft ipassing through the same. Suitable bearings 7c surround the quill-shaftsand serve to support the same.

The power is furnished by'some suitable form of prime-mover, such as agasolene engine, diagrammatically indicated at Z in Fig. 1, the enginedriving a rotatable disk m, constituting one of the frictional gearelements, this disk presenting a frictional surface transverse to itsaxis, which frictional surface isengageable by a peripheral ring nforming part of a complemental frictional gear element. The peripherallring n sur-A ioluiids two disks 0 and 2), which, togetherl 'with thering n, form a part of the same frictional gear element. rIhe peripheralsurfaces of the portions 0 and 1) have frictional engagement with theinner surface of the ring n, this frictional engagement being ofsufficient strength to permit of the trans-r mission of power betweenthe friction gear m and the elements 0 and p of the companion frictiongear, the strength of this frictional engagement, however, not beingsutlicient to prevent slippage between the parts 0 and p and thecircumscribing ring a under circumstances which will appear. The ring nis maintained in the plane of the parts o and p by means of face-ringsg, that are shown bolted to the ring n and which project inwardly tocover the outer portions of the parts o and y). I do not rely upon thefriction between the rings g and the parts 0 and p to couple these parts0 and p with the ring ln in driving relation, but rather rely upon thefrictional engagement between the inner surface of the ring 'n and theperipheral surfaces of the parts 0 and p. The part 0 is brought intodriving relation with the quill-shaft g by means of a key r that entersa key-way r1 in said quill-shaft; the portion p is brought into drivingrelation with the quill-shaft it by means of a key s that enters akey-way s1 in the quillshaft z. The keys fr and s are desirably formedin the outer ends of sleeves r2 s2, that constitute lateralcontinuations of the parts 0 and y), respectively, said keys proliectingradially inwardly to enter their respective key-ways, which key-ways areextended longitudinally of the quill-shafts to permit the gearelementincluding the parts a 0 and p to move longitudinally of the shaft-z and across the face of the friction disk or gear element n. In orderthat the longitudinal movement spoken of may be accomplished, I providea collar t upon the sleeve s2, this collar being peripherally groovedand receiving the ends of a forked lever u pivoted at 'u and adapted,when swung, to shift the gear element n o p.

The friction disk m may, if desired, rotate at a substantially uniformspeed, and the speed to be imparted to the load may be varied byshifting the lever a, thereby to bring the ring n nearer to or fartherfrom the axis of the disk m, the speed being M'Z with the ring nopposite the center of the disk m and being greatest when in theoutermost position illustrated in Fig. 1. rI`he load is driven in onedirection when the ring n is upon one side of the center of the disk mand in the reverse direction when said ring is upon the other side ofsaid center.

In the case of automobiles, the transmission elements [l Z generallytravel at the same speed and impart the same torque to thedriving-wheels a a when the automobile is moving in a substantiallystraight line,v In rounding curves, it is apparent that the chains (Z lshould not travel at the same speed, and they are permitted to travel atdifferent speeds by forming the gear element part surrounded by the ringn into two parts o and p, as indicated, these two parts being adaptedfor relative movement about their common axis when the chains (l are tooperate at different speeds. I do not wish to be limited in allVembodiments of my invention to a structure in which two parts 0 and pare employed, as the ring n may surround an undivided portion w asindicated in Fig. 5, which portion w is designed to have fixedengagement with the casing of a differential gear, as illustrated, forexample, in Patent No. 761,146, dated May 31, 1904, and issued to B. J.Carter.

Then my invention is adapted to the form of transmission illustrated inthe drawing, it is very apparent that advantages are secured, ascompared with friction gearing mechanism of the general type illustratedand known in the prior art.

It is apparent that with the apparatus of my invention, the peripheralsurface of the ring n that engages the disk m, need not wear fiat, sincethe frictional engagement between the ring a and the parts 0 and p is ofsuch a degree that. relative movement will occur between the ring n andthe parts o and p before the turning movement of the ring a will cease.In other words, the ring a will continue to rotate, though either orboth of the parts 0 and y) may have their rotation checked or stopped.In the preferred embodimentl of the invention, there is a limitedmovement of the ring a in the plane of and with respect to the parts 0and p, the disk m forcing the desired frictional engagement between thering a and the parts 0 and p.

Thile I have herein shown and particularly described the preferredembodiment of my invention, it is obvious that changes may readily bemade therein, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and Ido not, therefore, wish to be limited to the precise construction shown,but,

I-Iaving thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent r- 1. Power transmission mechanism includ-l ingtwo frictional gear elements, one in the form of a rotatable diskpresenting a frictional surface transverse to its axis and the otherincluding in its formation a peripheral ring which is movable withrespect to the part it incluses, said part having a peripheral surfacein frictional engagement with the inner surface of the ring, the outersurface of the ring frictionally engaging said frictional surface ofsaid disk, the gear element part within the peripheral ring beingsubdivided into tivo portions, both adapted for driving relation withthe aforesaid peripheral ring and adapted to move with respect to each4other when encountering unequal torque, load-driving mechanism inconnection with each of the subdivided portions of the part within theperipheral ring, and mechanism whereby the gear element including theperipheral ring is moved with respect to the aforesaid frictionalsurface presented by the rotatable disk transverse to the axis of saiddisk.

2. Power transmission mechanism including two frictional gear elements,one in the form of a rotatable disk presenting a frictional surfacetransverse to its axis and the other including in its formation aperipheral portion which is movable with respect to the part it inclosesand which has driving frictional engagement with such part, saidperipheral portion frictionally engaging said frictional surface of saiddisk, the gear element part Within the peripheral portion beingsubdivided into two portions,

both adapted for driving relation with the" aforesaid peripheral portionand adapted to move with respect to each other when encountering unequaltorque, load-driving mechanism in connection with each of the subdividedportions of the part within the peripheral portion, and mechanismwhereby the gear element including the peripheral portion is moved withrespect to the aforesaid frictional surface presented by the rotatabledisk transverse to the axis of the disk.

3. Power transmission mechanism including two frictional gear elements,one in the form of a rotatable disk presenting a frictional surfacetransverse to its axis and the other including in its formation aperipheral portion which is movable with respect to the part it inclosesand which peripheral portion frictionally engages said frictionalsurface of said disk, the gear element part within the peripheralportion being subdivided into two portions, both adapted for drivingrelation with the aforesaid peripheral portion and adapted to move withrespect to each other when encountering unequal torque, load-drivingmechanism in connection with each of the subdivided portions of the partwithin the peripheral portion, and mechanism whereby the gear elementincluding the peripheral portion is moved with respect to the aforesaidfrictional surface presented by the rotatable disk transverse to theaxis of the disk.

4. Power transmission mechanism including two frictional gear elements,one in the form of a rotatable disk presenting a frictional surfacetransverse to its axis and the other including in its formation aperipheral ring which is movable with respect to the part it incloses,said part having a peripheral surface in frictional engagement with theinner surface of the ring, the outer surface of the ring frictionallyengaging said frictional surface of said disk, the gear element partwithin the peripheral ring being subdivided into two portions, bothadapted for driving relation with the aforesaid peripheral ring andadapted to move with respect to each other when encountering unequaltorque, and load-driving mechanism in connection with each of thesubdivided portions of the part within the peripheral ring.

5. Power transmission mechanism including two frictional gear elements,one in the form of a rotatable disk presenting a frictional surfacetransverse to its axis and the other including in its formation aperipheral portion which is movable with respect to the part it inclosesand which has driving frictional engagement with such part, saidperipheral portion frictionally engagingy part within the petionalsurface transverse to its axis and the other including in its formationa peripheral portion which is movable with respect to the part itincloses and which peripheral portion frictionally engages saidfrictional surface of said disk, the gear element part within theperipheral portion being subdivided i into two portions, both adaptedfor driving relation with the aforesaid peripheral portion and adaptedto move with respect to each other when encountering unequal torque, andload-driving mechanlsm in connection with each of the subdividedportions of the part within the peripheral portion.

7. A gear element including a peripheral portion and two relativelymovable parts frictionally held by said peripheral portion and eachadapted to slip with respect to the .peripheralportion when subjected tosuf-v cient force.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this second day of JulyA. D., 1909.

DURL P. RUGER.

Witnesses:

G. L. CRAGG, L. G. STRoH.

